Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-08-17
WORK OF GHOULS.
1he Chatsworth Horror Caused by Train
Wreckers, Who Rob the Dead and
Wounded.

CHATswoRTH, ILL.,, Aug. Ito add to
the horror of the disaster at Vermilion
River, yesterday morning, is the almost
certainty that it was caused by persons
intent on robbery, who fired the bridge
tor the purpose of wrecking the train.
Sens ational features were developed this
morning Rumors were ahoat last night
that it was due to robbers who fired the
bridge, but little credence was given to
them. This morning new facts, appar-
emily showing the catastrophe to be the
work of an organized band, came to light
and the company find them worthy of
serious investigation. Supt. Armstrong
said to the Associated Press reporter
that the more he investigated the
more 1t appeared to him that
the bridge had been set on fire.
The burned grass in the immediate To-
cality was not of nature that seemed
likely to admit of the BRIDGES catching
fire from it. He had observed many
thieves at work and had stopped them
while despoiling the wreck of property
and money Instances of the robbing of
the dead were being brought to his at
tention. The excursion had been eX-
tensively advertised and the time it
would pass over the bridge was we'll
known. Citizens say that gang of sus-
pIcious fellows have been lettering
around Chatsworth for some days. Many
of these were found early at the wreck
paving more attention to relieving the
bodies of their valuables than to caring
for them otherwise. Trainmen and pas
sengers had frequent conten-
tons with the vandals. In
one instance Supt. Armstrong found a
thief in the depot room where the prop
erty from the wreck was stored. While
people of the town have done all in their
power for the sufferers, there is a horde
of tramps and thieves in this vicinity
who do nothing but carry off anything
they can get their hands on. The
theory that the train was maliciously
wrecked is strengthened by the fact
that the section men passed over the
bridge at 6o'clock and saw no signs of
the accident occurred than
dozen or more miscreants were
on hand who commenced to
plumber the dead and dying of every
thing of value they possessed. These
hends IN human form went into the
cars when the fire was burning fiercely
underneath, and when the poor
wretches who were pinned there beg
ged them for Gods sake to help them
out, they stripped them of their watches
and jeWelry, and searched their pockets
for money. When the bodies were laid
out in the corn-tields, these hyenas
turned them over in their search for
valuabIes; and that plumber was done by
an organized gang was proven by the
fact that this morning out in the corn
field sixteen purses, all empty, were
found in one heap.
The estimates of dead this morning
are about the same as the figures sent
last night. The coroner's list re-
vised, up to the time the inquest was re-
sumed to-day, toots up seventy-six.
Notwithstanding contrary opinions eX-
pressed by the railroad officials survey
of the wreck early to-day confirmed the
belief that several bodies are still under
the debris of the smashed engines and
cars. The report yesterday that twenty
dead were at Piper City is denied this
morning by the president of the road.
Three or four of the wounded carried to
Piper lty yesterday died there, how
ever SO that with the seventy-SlX on the
coroner's list here and those supposed
to be yet under the wreck, the estimate
of eighty-tour deaths appear to be very
close to the actual number.
The horrors of the wreck seemed
deepening early this morning instead of
16SSSLAIS, AuuSo " Tic SpSCldCIc VI VIC
dead and the miseries of the dying a
stencil sickeningly foul was issuing from
ali the numerous places where the
corpses Of the victims yet remained. No
picture of the horrible occurrences i'm
mediately succeeding the accident could
equal in revolving details the scene at
the Toledo, Peoria q Western depot
here to-day. The west end of the
little structure is a coal house and
lumber room where promiscuously
stretched on the floor in the coal rub
Dish were seven unidentified bodies.
Blood stained, bedraggleG sheets and
blankets were thrown loosely over each
but afforded little protection from the
swarms of flies which were continually
lowering over them. The awful odo1
emanating from the bodies effectually
kept the room clear of ali but the hardi-
est Of the still lingering, anxious or curl
Gus crowds. Two of the victims were
women and the sight Of their faces
was one never to be forgotten.